The main character of the triumphal arch is a remark. Erich Maria Remarque - triumphal arch

"Good ending happens only when everything was bad before it. Much better bad ending", says one of the heroes of the famous and especially revered German writer Erich Maria Remarque in Russia. Remarque’s novels are a special view and philosophy, with which many in turn “get sick”, and then just as inevitably “heal”. The period of searching for oneself is replaced by most of Remarque’s readers with a different, measured and orderly life. Can you imagine Remarque’s hero telling a bedtime story to his child, digging in the garden, preoccupied with an increase in salary or prospects for a promotion? No - and perhaps that’s why we love them: they are outside the chains of everyday life and philistine routine, their values ​​are wise and uncomplicated, like life itself - bread, tobacco, a little money and always a comrade nearby whom you can rely on in any circumstances. Infinitely attractive in their sincere and old-fashioned quixoticism, Remarque’s heroes keep loyalty to the nobles moral principles and follow them in simple everyday situations: they do not betray, do not lie, but respond to evil blow for blow; they know the value of money, but do not strive to translate everything into the language of commodity-money relations. I don’t want to put up with the idea that they have no future: Ravik will live to see the victory over the Nazis, Helen will write the most important letter in her life, Clerfay will win the next race, Lilian will once again escape from the monastery sanatorium. And then we’ll see...

"Arc de Triomphe" - plot

The action takes place in France 1938-1939. Ravik, a World War I veteran, is a stateless German surgeon who lives in Paris and operates on patients instead of less qualified French surgeons. He is one of many emigrants without passports or any other documents, constantly under threat of arrest and deportation from the country. At home, he helped two innocent people escape, after which he survived torture in the Gestapo and the death of his girlfriend in dungeons; he moved to France, since it is easiest for emigrants to live there.

He accidentally meets the Italian actress Joan Madu and begins an affair with her; the lovers either quarrel or make up. Ravik manages to lure into the forest and kill his main tormentor, Gestapo man Haake, promising him a visit to an elite brothel. At the end of the novel, war begins, Joan is mortally wounded by a bullet from a jealous actor, Ravik refuses to hide under the guise of a Russian emigrant and calmly surrenders to the police, who staged a raid in the hotel where he lives.

Reviews

Reviews of the book “Arc de Triomphe”

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Anna M

It was nice to see something interesting love story!

My opinion is that the book " Arc de Triomphe" - this is more masculine prose, but girls should also read it) Remarque, for me personally, is one of the few authors who clearly presents life values, the bearer of the definition of philosophy. You can discover a lot for yourself and begin to appreciate not only love, loyalty, suffering, but also the fact that you are human! At the moments of reading, I was overwhelmed with feelings of sadness, joy, delight, just a fountain of emotions) The book “Arc de Triomphe” literally flies before my eyes, in general, like life itself! Read, cry, learn to appreciate and love, analyze quotes, there are many moments where you involuntarily smile!!! Happy reading!

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Fanny

Like all books by Erich Remarque, “Arc de Triomphe” is very tragic and sad story. The story of the main characters cannot but excite, it is so sad, so sincere, real that it touches the quick, touches the soul, makes you think. This wonderful book, which became one of my favorites, evoked such a range of emotions in me.

I really liked it love line, interesting characters, whose characters are well developed. However, their love story is not the central event here. Rather, it is created as a background. Erich Remarque depicted an entire era - the pre-war period, when complete chaos reigned throughout the entire Earth, people lived in fear.

The novel takes place in France in beautiful city Paris. But even all this beauty is overshadowed by the darkness that has engulfed the whole world.

I admire the symbolism of the book, the presence deep quotes, beautiful syllable.

I didn’t find a single negative in this book, it’s perfect from start to finish!

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Erich Maria Remarque's novel Arc de Triomphe is known throughout the world. The writer manages to incredibly realistically describe war, love, and the experiences of the characters and touch the hearts of readers. The book was written in the mid-20th century and is included in the list best books, required reading.

The writer takes us to pre-war times. The main character is a German, surgeon Ravik. He helped his friends, survived torture and the death of his beloved woman. He managed to escape to France, where he lives without documents, constantly fearing being caught. Ravik lives in a hotel for refugees, but despite his hard life, he helps people. In secret from the law, he performs operations on people and replaces French surgeons. He surprises with his talent and efficiency.

In France he meets Joan. She Italian actress, which also has its own story. Ravic and Joan are very different, but they want to be together. The couple constantly quarrels and makes up, they are looking for ways to mutual understanding. Their relationship is depicted frankly, without being too fairytale-like, but these people inspire each other, forcing each other to change. Ravik wants to take revenge on the person who tortured him; in his soul there is a place not only for love, but also for hatred.

This book will leave strong impression, you will remember about her later for a long time after reading. You can't call her sweet fairy tale, here depicts the reality of life, the present, with its pain and truth. The writer manages to clearly convey the feelings of the characters, love and suffering, the atmosphere of the pre-war time, when fear seemed to be in the air. Using examples from the lives of heroes, the writer says that the pain does not go away completely even after time. It may subside a little, but if you disturb the old wounds, then everything will return again. And yet, you need to continue to live and do something, you need to not give up and help other people.

On our website you can download the book "The Arc de Triomphe" by Erich Maria Remarque for free and without registration in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format, read the book online or buy the book in the online store.

The novel was published in 1945 in the United States. The German edition appeared a year later. In 1948, Arc de Triomphe was first filmed, starring Ingrid Bergman. In 1985, the novel was filmed for the second time. Main role goes to Anthony Hopkins. The 1948 film adaptation was considered more successful.

The novel takes place in France on the eve of World War II. Ravik, a German surgeon and veteran of the First World War, lives in Paris without citizenship or documents, under constant threat of deportation from the country. The surgeon operates on patients, replacing less qualified French colleagues. Ravik was forced to flee Germany because he organized the escape of two innocent people. For this, the surgeon ended up in the Gestapo, where he endured monstrous torture. The surgeon's girlfriend, Sibylla, was also arrested and later died in prison. Ravik is hiding in France. It was believed that life in this country would be much easier for emigrants.

One November night, the surgeon meets a stranger. The woman is desperate. Ravik brings her to his place. The stranger's name is Joan Madu, she is an actress by profession. Joan's lover died. The surgeon helps the woman get a death certificate, her money and belongings, and pay the bill for the room.

Ravik tells his colleague Weber that he is an illegal immigrant from Germany. He has no right not only to work, but also to simply stay in France. The surgeon lives in a hotel where registration is not required, since he cannot rent an apartment. Ravik also reports that in his homeland he held a significant position in one of the large hospitals. He hides his real name.

Joan and Ravik become lovers. The woman admits that she is very tired of the life she is forced to lead and would like to live peacefully in own home with your loved one. The surgeon explains that this is impossible: he is in the country illegally and has no rights. Throughout the entire story, the lovers either quarrel or make peace. One of the biggest quarrels occurred after Ravic was arrested, expelled from the country, and then returned to Paris after three months conducted in Switzerland.

On the streets of the French capital, the surgeon meets his old enemy - Gestapo man Haake. Ravik hunts for Haake for a long time until they finally meet. The fascist does not recognize the surgeon, but is very happy that he met a compatriot in a foreign country. Subsequently, Ravik managed to meet his enemy again. The surgeon offers the Gestapo man a joint visit to an elite brothel, and he himself takes him to the Bois de Boulogne, where he kills him. The surgeon then takes Haake to the Forest of Saint-Germain. Ravik disfigured the body of his enemy and destroyed documents and belongings.

At the end of the novel, Joan is shot by her next lover. The woman is mortally wounded, but removing the bullet will only hasten her death. Joan and Ravik last time confess their love to each other, then the doctor gives her a lethal injection to save her from further suffering. During the next arrest, Ravik does not resist the police and even gives his real name.

Characteristics

The real name of the surgeon is Ludwig Fresenburg. This is very controversial character, revealing itself to the reader with different sides.

On the one hand, Ravik, aka Ludwig Fresenburg, is presented as positive hero. IN fascist Germany Ravik held a high position. To maintain his high position, it was enough for him to simply agree with the policies of the new authorities, or at least look at their actions “through his fingers.” However, Ravik could not make a deal with his own conscience. He did not want to allow innocent people to suffer and die. The surgeon takes a risk by hiding the unfortunate ones. Ravik understands perfectly well how this could end for him, but does not back down. As a result, main character loses everything: a high position, the location of the authorities, his beloved girl and his homeland.

Having miraculously survived, Ravik begins new life in Paris. The torture that the surgeon had to endure in Germany did not harden the protagonist or change his character. Ravik still remains an honest man capable of selflessly helping those in need. Having met a stranger at night, Ravik tries to take on all her problems without expecting anything in return.

However, the author does not deny: torture, concentration camps and wanderings could not help but leave their mark. Remarque shows the German surgeon from another, less pleasant side. The reader learns that Ravik is vindictive and vengeful. Having met his old enemy in Paris, the surgeon begins to develop a murder plan. The hatred he felt for Haake did not disappear even after several years. Ravik coldly and without a shadow of pity kills the Gestapo man and mutilates his corpse. The author does not support his hero in his actions, but does not condemn him either. For a person who has lost the most precious thing, it is quite natural to feel hatred towards the one who deprived him of everything.

Joan Madu

Presumably, the author was inspired to create the image of Joan by Marlene Dietrich. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Remarque and Dietrich lived in Paris.

Ravik does not attach much importance to meeting an unfamiliar woman who needs his help. The surgeon helps people every day. Help to a stranger It’s completely natural for him. However, Madu gradually enters his life. The rapprochement between Joan and Ravik began with mutual sexual attraction. However, gradually the surgeon begins to understand that Joan can be not only a passionate lover, but also a sincere interlocutor. Madu, like Ravik, has neither homeland nor relatives. Joan grew up in Italy, with a Romanian father and English mother. Since childhood, Mada has been surrounded by “strangers.” Now she again finds herself among “strangers,” this time in another country.

We bring to your attention one more outstanding work Erich Maria We bring to your attention another outstanding work by Erich Maria, telling about a quiet boarding house where patients live a measured life, without delving into the problems of the world around them.

Our next article is dedicated to Erich Maria Remarque, representative of the writers “ Lost Generation”, who created many talented works that are still popular today.

The lives of both main characters have long been meaningless and have turned into a routine struggle for survival. Both lost their loved ones. Only after meeting each other do Ravik and Madu feel that their lives finally have meaning. They give themselves over completely to the new feeling. But after a short period of time, quarrels begin between the lovers. Joan is tired of uncertainty. She wants to find a stable place in this world, despite the fact that the war breaking out in Europe is pushing the world into chaos. Joan has waited too long for her happiness to wait any longer. She wants to have a family and be a legal wife with whom she can appear in society, and not a random mistress who they want to hide from prying eyes.

Main symbol the novel is the Arc de Triomphe. This landmark of Paris is not as popular as the Eiffel Tower, but is also widely known. Not all readers understand why the author chose the Arc de Triomphe to give the title to the novel. She is not actor and does not play a particularly significant role in the work. However, Remarque opted for it, and not for the more familiar Eiffel Tower. He also did not use the name of one of the main characters for the title.

First of all, the author is trying to divert the public's attention from the stereotypical image of Paris. Even in the minds of those readers who have never been to the French capital, this city is associated with pleasure, unbridled fun and forbidden pleasures. These are the associations that the Eiffel Tower can evoke. The author wants to show Paris from a completely different side. On the eve of World War II, the French capital continues to be a city of dreams. But now they come to it not for pleasure, but for the sake of saving lives. Immigrants from Germany find shelter here. These were mainly Jews, as well as those who did not share the views of the fascists who came to power.

By calling his novel “Arc de Triomphe,” Remarque carefully makes it clear that, despite all the efforts of the fascists, victory will not be theirs.

The novel “Arc de Triomphe” by Erich Maria Remarque: summary

Very briefly A few years before the Second World War, a repressed German surgeon, a staunch anti-militarist, escapes from a fascist concentration camp and ends up in Paris, where he falls in love, loses his beloved and takes revenge on the enemy.

Ravik met her late on a November evening on the Alma Bridge. It seemed to him that the woman was going to commit suicide - her face was so pale. Ravik was very tired after a day of work, but he could not leave the woman. He took her to a small cellar not far from the Arc de Triomphe, treated her to Calvados (apple brandy) and waited until the woman calmed down. Her appearance did not attract Ravik. The woman had a dull, pale face and full, but colorless lips. The only thing Ravik liked was the natural golden color of his hair.

After drinking Calvados, they left the cafe. Ravic was bored, but again he could not let the unfortunate woman go alone into the rain and fog. They crossed the Place de l'Etoile in front of the Arc de Triomphe, turned into an alley and approached the Hotel Internationale, where Ravik lived. There was no free room at the hotel, and he had to shelter the woman at his place. He never had time to go to bed - he was urgently called to work.

Ravik was a talented surgeon. Several years ago he managed to escape from a fascist concentration camp to Paris. Since then, he has operated illegally at Dr. Weber's clinic. That evening, the patient - a girl after a failed abortion - died on the operating table. Ravik took such failures hard. He came home tired and broken, hoping that the woman had already left, but apparently she had nowhere to go. On the way, Ravik drank, and for him “suddenly everything became simple - morning, woman.” He called her to bed and she agreed.

Afterwards he fell asleep, and when he woke up, he found that the woman was still nearby. She said that she lives nearby, at the Verdun Hotel. The man with whom she came to Paris suddenly died, and the woman was seized by panic. Ravik took her to the hotel, called Dr. Weber, who helped settle all the formalities with the police, and rescued her things from the greedy clutches of the hotel owner. He then helped her get a room at the Milan Hotel. There she wrote her name on a piece of notebook - Joan Madu. He tore it as soon as he left the hotel.

Time has passed. Ravik continued to operate at the clinic and lived in the Internationale, whose owner did not require documents from refugees. He could not rent an apartment - for this he needed a passport, which Ravik did not have. Having been caught by the police the first time, he could have gone to prison for several weeks, the second time - for six months. He went through this vicious circle more than once and learned a lot. He didn't want to have anything or become attached to anything. All Ravik needed was work. The “leading” surgeon of the clinic was the old and mediocre Professor Durand. He put the patient to sleep, and then Ravik came and performed an operation that the professor could not handle. Durant made a name for himself by paying Ravic a meager share of his royalties. Ravik did not object - he could not help but operate. In addition to “assisting” the professor, every Thursday Ravik had to examine the girls from the Osiris brothel, whose services he often used.

Ravik's only friend was Russian emigrant Boris Morozov, who works as a doorman at the Russian nightclub "Scheherazade". They often met in the Internationale's dining room, which the guests called the "catacomb". The room was located in the basement of the hotel and had access to the courtyard, which was used during police raids. Ravik and Boris were sitting in the corner of the “catacomb” under a stunted palm tree in a tub and playing chess when the doctor was brought a package from an unknown lady, which contained a small wooden Madonna. Ravik remembered that he had seen such a figurine in Joan Madu’s room. Morozov considered the figurine a “cry for help,” because the woman was left completely alone in a strange city. He persuaded Ravik to come to her.

Ravik found Joan in severe depression. He spent the evening with her, still not having any interest in the woman. Joan turned out to be an actress, and Ravik gave her Morozov’s address - he could get her a job at Scheherazade. Having done this, Ravik felt relieved - “the weak sense of responsibility that he still felt disappeared.” The woman did not want to be left alone, and Ravik spent the night in her room on a narrow and shaky chaise lounge.

Ravik noticed this man a few days later when he was sitting in a bistro on Boissiere Street. A man flashed behind the rain-drenched glass, and Ravik rushed after him, but did not catch up. He remembered Berlin in 1934, a windowless room in the Gestapo, the pain of torture, “the face of Sybille, full of despair,” being held by the executioners, and another face - well-fed, smiling. Ravik remembered this man’s voice explaining to Sibylla what would happen to her. The girl hanged herself in a concentration camp three days later. The man's name was Haake, and it was him that Ravik saw behind the wet glass. After talking with Morozov, Ravik decided that he had made a mistake.

The next evening, Ravik came to Scheherazade with Kat Hegström, an American of Swedish origin, his first Parisian patient - two years ago he cut out her appendix. Since then, things went well for Ravik, and he considered Kat his talisman. She returned to Paris to have an abortion and asked Ravik to entertain her a little.

Joan sang in Scheherazade. In it “there was not a trace left of the colorless, erased expression familiar to Ravik.” Now the woman’s face “was illuminated by some kind of exciting, disastrous beauty.” Ravik spent the evening listening to Kat make plans for the future. She couldn't give birth now because of the bleeding, but she wanted children. The next day, while performing an operation, Ravik discovered that Kat had inoperable cancer.

Trying to come to terms with this, Ravik remembered “one of greatest lessons of his life”, which he received at the front of the First World War near Ypres. Then, during a sudden artillery attack, three of his friends died, but Ravik himself miraculously remained unharmed and learned: help while you can, but if nothing can be done, forget and move on. This is the only way to survive.

In the evening he went to Scheherazade and met with Joan. Now Ravik was admired by her “bright, mysterious face.” Their romance began under the silver-shimmering bulk of the Arc de Triomphe.

Joan plunged headlong into her love, “she gave herself entirely to what she was doing at that moment.” Ravik kept himself aloof - he was afraid to get attached to someone, his life was very unstable. But the further their relationship went, the more he fell in love with Joan and felt that he was losing his independence. He was fifteen years older than her and felt that sooner or later she would leave him. Morozov did not like Joan, considering her a bitch, and she felt it.

Soon, sitting with Morozov at a table in front of the Fouquet restaurant, Ravik again saw a man similar to Haacke, and again lost him in the crowd on the Place de l'Etoile. Morozov tried to calm Ravik down. He advised his friend to draw up a plan for revenge and strictly follow it. Morozov himself did this, dreaming of meeting the people who destroyed his family during the Russian Revolution. Ravik sat for a long time in front of the restaurant, looking out for Haake and remembering Sibylla. She was “a spoiled beautiful creature, accustomed to being absent-minded, easy life" They were caught trying to leave Germany and tortured for three days. Haake demanded a confession from Ravik, but he had nothing to admit. After the Gestapo he was sent to a concentration camp, then he was taken to a hospital, from where he escaped. Now his dreams were full of “the horror of fascist dungeons, the frozen faces of tortured friends.” Having never seen Haake, Ravik decided not to rummage “in the slag dead years, brought to life thanks to an absurd, damned resemblance,” and not sacrifice Joan’s love to a random illusion.

After a while she started talking to him about her own home. Joan didn't know that Ravik was an illegal immigrant. He told Joan that he could be arrested at any moment. To calm the frightened woman, Ravik suggested that she go on a short vacation to the south of France, to Mediterranean Sea. Ravik obtained two thousand francs for vacation from Professor Durand, threatening to leave the clinic when the patient was already lying on the operating table. The patient turned out to be “a certain Leval, who was in charge of the affairs of the emigrants,” a man indifferent to the fate of the refugees. While operating, Ravik thought that he was holding Laval’s life in his hands, just as he was holding the lives of thousands of illegal immigrants. Before leaving, Ravik met with Kat. She left for Italy, not knowing that she was terminally ill - the doctor could not tell her about it.

They had already lived in Antibes for eight days, and it seemed to Ravic that he had spent only eight hours in this sun-drenched world. To extend his vacation, Ravik sometimes won a small amount at the casino. Joan liked this life, and Ravik felt that sooner or later she would find a man who could provide it for her. Not wanting to be abandoned, Ravik decided to be the first to break up with Joan upon arrival in Paris.

He didn't have time to do this. About a week after returning, on his way to the clinic, Ravik saw the scaffolding near a building under construction collapse. A woman was seriously wounded, and the doctor could not stand aside. When Ravik was providing assistance, the police arrived. It quickly became clear that the doctor had no documents. Ravik managed to inform Doctor Weber, Morozov and Joan that he had been caught. Weber tried to help Ravik through Professor Durand, to whom Laval was very grateful for the successful operation. Durand, however, could not forgive two thousand francs, and only made Ravic's situation worse. He served two weeks in prison and was then expelled from France.

He returned to Paris three months later. During this time, Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, and he himself suffered from pneumonia and was caught by the police twice. He kept the surname Ravik for himself - he liked it more than the others. At Internationale they did not know about his troubles: Morozov told everyone that the doctor had left for Rouen. He also told Ravik that Joan no longer worked at Scheherazade. She stopped asking about Ravika about five weeks ago. Morozov heard out of the corner of his ear that Joan was acting in a movie.

After suffering all evening, Ravik went to the Milan Hotel, but Joan no longer lived there. He realized that it was all over and called Weber - he needed his favorite job to calm down and forget. Ravik met Joana two weeks later at the Cloche d'Or restaurant. She was with two strangers, and her shoulders had already become covered with a southern tan. They quarreled. Joan accused Ravik of not even thinking about looking for her, and he was looking at her southern tan. She came to him at night, and he did not have the strength to drive her out. Joan fell asleep clinging to Ravik.

In the morning, Joanne left and did not appear for several days, and Ravik waited longingly for her call. He continued to work in the clinic, operated, and this made his life easier. Ravik continued to inspect the girls from Osiris, where, despite the “low” season, there was excitement.

Joan called the clinic and invited Ravik to her place. Now she didn't live in a cheap hotel. New friend Joan, an actor, rented a tastelessly furnished apartment for her. Finally, Ravik realized that Joan assigned him the role of a coming lover. This did not suit him, Ravika, nice man with a narrow face and penetrating, deep-set eyes, he was already over forty, and he wanted either everything or nothing. After a long and difficult conversation, he left. After spending another night with her, Ravik realized that he would be lost if he did it again.

Soon Kat Hagström returned from Italy. She already knew that she was dying, and she was going to “take everything she could from life.” Ravik offered to help her. He tried to distract himself with work or long walks, but he could not forget Joan - she was in his blood. One day his feet brought him to his beloved's house. He looked at her windows for a long time, feeling an unbearable, sharp pain, as if someone was tearing his heart apart. Suddenly it started to rain. Standing in the rain, Ravik suddenly felt the beat of life. It was as if the shell shackling his soul had burst, and life, “desired and blessed,” broke through. Without looking back, he walked away.

Some time later, sitting in the Fouquet restaurant, Ravik saw Haake again. This time the doctor was not going to let him go, but he did not have to give chase - Haake himself approached him, mistaking him for a fellow countryman. Miraculously maintaining his restraint, Ravik introduced himself as von Horn and volunteered to show Haacke hot spots Paris. Much to Ravik’s regret, his enemy was hurrying to catch a train to Berlin. However, he promised to contact “von Horn” in two weeks, when he returned to France.

These two weeks Ravik was preparing for revenge. He had no time for Joan, but she still did not leave him alone, came to his house, and staged scenes of jealousy. Ravik did not give up, realizing that having won, Joan would abandon him like a useless thing. One night she called him and asked for help. Deciding that Joan was in trouble, Ravik packed the doctor’s suitcase and went to see her, but the alarm turned out to be false. Another actor-lover made a scandal of her, threatened to kill her, she got scared and called Ravik. Joan admitted that she is in too much of a hurry to live, changes lovers, friends and cannot stop. Ravik realized that he had lost her forever, and his soul became easy: now no one would stop him from taking revenge.

In the morning he moved to the Prince of Wales Hotel - this address he gave to Haake. Ravik understood that his enemy, “a little official in the department of fear, in itself means little, and yet it was infinitely important to kill him.” Ravik thought that Haake might call during the operation. This thought unnerved him so much that he had to give up work for a while.

With Morozov's help, Ravik hired a car and made a plan, but Haake still didn't call. In the end, Ravik despaired: the Nazi might not come or he might have forgotten the address. He saw the enemy one evening, accidentally turning into the Osiris, and lay in wait for him at the entrance - no one should have seen that they left together. Haake was delighted to meet him. He didn't call because he got the hotel name wrong. Ravik promised Haake a trip to cheap but chic brothels, took him to the Bois de Boulogne, stunned him with a blow to the head and strangled him. He buried the body and clothes in different places in the Saint-Germain forest, and burned the documents. Haake didn’t even understand why he was killed, and this tormented Ravik for some time, but then he calmed down and experienced extraordinary relief. “The jammed, tightly locked, covered with dried blood door to his past suddenly opened, easily and silently, and behind it again stretched blooming garden, not a Gestapo dungeon." Something was melting in Ravik, filling him with life.

Morozov tried to persuade Ravik to leave Paris, but he refused - he had nowhere to go. He knew that after the declaration of war he would be sent to a French concentration camp and was ready for this. Soon he accompanied Kat Hagström to Cherbourg: she was sailing on a huge white ship to the USA to die. Returning to Paris, Ravik discovered that the city was darkened. Only the Place de l'Etoile with the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees behind her.

That same night, Joan called Ravik again and asked him to come. This time he didn’t believe her and stayed at International. Soon his frightened lover Joan knocked on the door. He shot her, seriously wounded her, and now he didn’t know how to save her. Ravik hurried to her and took her to the Weber clinic. Having started the operation, he saw that the bullet was stuck in the cervical spine, and it was impossible to save Joan. With helpless pain, Ravik watched as paralysis took over the body that he loved so much. When Joan began to choke, he administered a medicine that made it easier for her to die - she herself asked him for this when she could still speak.

At the moment of Joan's death, the Second World War. When Ravik returned to International, the police were already waiting for him based on a denunciation from one of the clinic’s nurses. This time he said his real name - Ludwig Fresenburg. He left Paris in pitch darkness, even the Arc de Triomphe was not visible.

The most romantic city in the world between two dramatic wars of the last century appears as one of the heroes of the novel. Paris, love and the coming storm are the three main themes of the Arc de Triomphe.

Erich Maria Remarque - about the author

Heroes of the book Arc de Triomphe

The main character, Ravik, is a German who was a doctor in the First World War and was then tortured by the Gestapo. He lives in Paris without relatives or documents in a hotel for refugees like him. He is a brilliant professional, but living without a passport, he is forced to give all the glory to others, and operates for famous French surgeons who profit from his talent. Ravik, a superman with a scalpel, tries to save even the most hopeless patients, but this does not always work, and Remarque vividly shows his experiences. The hero philosophizes a lot, his sayings become popular quotes - “In our days, even Christ himself, if he had been without a passport, would have been put in prison.”

The main character, Joan Madu, is lost at the beginning of the story, but gradually gains strength and the desire to live, a woman who wants to love and be loved. She is an actress of Italian origin who does not have any special talent, she is not a beauty, but she is “a woman with sparkling eyes who loves life” - this is what attracts her.

Negative the hero is German officer Haake - it was he who tortured Ravik in the Gestapo, and killed his lover during interrogation. Ravik accidentally notices him on the streets of Paris, and then meets him in a cafe.

The plot of the book Arc de Triomphe

One rainy night, fate confronts him with the absolutely lost Joan, from whom he could not get rid of, and out of the kindness of his heart he decides to help. According to the law of the genre, the heroes begin an affair, and slowly but surely Ravik falls in love, but the hero is not ready for serious relationship, and cannot love the way Joan wants, and both feel an imminent separation. Which happens when Ravik is once again expelled from the country.

Upon returning to his beloved Paris, Ravik accidentally spots Haake on the street and forgets about everything. By chance, the hero manages to meet the tormentor in a cafe, and later, lured by cheap entertainment, he brings him to the Bois de Boulogne. Having avenged all the suffering, the hero is freed from the shackles of the past, his heart is open to love. A captivating ending to the book that will awaken your senses and force you to think.

My opinion about the book Arc de Triomphe

Now it is very difficult to imagine the fear, bitterness and doom that people experienced during the war, in my opinion, the author managed to convey these feelings to the reader. Remarque shows how people were in a hurry to live in peacetime, as if they had a presentiment that the respite would be short, and that a new massacre would soon begin again.

The book is written beautiful language, I especially liked how Remarque shows the feelings of the characters, and how these feelings are reflected in the description of the city.